Highly Effective Networking: Meet the Right People and Get a Great Job

By Orville Pierson

Virtually all job hunting experts agree that networking is the best way to find a great job. But most people don't have connections to the decision makers who do the hiring. And "networking" books, which are mostly written by and for salespeople, suggest aggressive tactics, often confusing these with real networking. They focus on building a powerful network over the course of a lifetime. But when you need a new job, you don't have time to build a huge, powerful network. You've got to use the network you already have.

Orville Pierson, a top expert in job hunting, tells you how to succeed by effectively using your current circle of contacts. He cuts through the myths and misunderstandings to show you how millions of job hunters have networked their way to great new jobs. Highly Effective Networking empowers you to:

• Use a small network to reach dozens of insiders and decision makers.
• Get the right message to the right people, even if you have never met them.
• Create a project plan to organize your networking efforts.
• Speak effectively and comfortably with your networking contacts.
• Talk to decision makers before the job opening is announced.

Networking in job hunting is different than other networking. You don't have to hobnob with the rich and famous. There's no need for aggressive sales tactics. You just need to understand how real networking fits into your job search, and then be systematic about doing it.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Career Press
• Release date: Feb 15, 2009
• ISBN: 9781601638557

Book preview

Chapter One

Everybody Knows You Need to Network

Virtually all experts agree that networking is an essential part of job hunting, but there is much less agreement on the most effective way to do it.

There’s no doubt that networking can help you conduct a better job search and find a better job—if you can find comfortable and effective ways to network. It looks to me like a lot of job hunters are not entirely comfortable with networking or not sure about the most effective ways to do it. Which is why I decided to write this book.

My name is Orville Pierson, and my job is helping people find jobs. I have spent most of my life doing that. I have worked privately with hundreds of individuals from the day they decided to find a new job until the day they accepted one. I have provided coaching and consulting for all kinds of people, ranging from recent college grads to senior executives. I have also worked with hundreds of people in groups, creating and teaching job hunting classes.

Throughout my career, nothing has made me happier at work than seeing people do effective job hunting and find great new jobs.

Since 1977, I have worked for five different career services firms. I am now a member of the U.S. corporate headquarters staff of Lee Hecht Harrison (LHH), a global consulting company with 240 offices around the world. We do executive coaching and leadership consulting, career management work with people who are employed, and career transition work with people who have lost their jobs in large downsizings.

That last one, career transition work, is also called outplacement. In case you’re not familiar with it, here’s how it works. When an employee of a large organization is let go in a downsizing, the organization often gives them severance pay and assistance in finding new employment. LHH provides that assistance. It’s paid for by the organization, not the individual. Which is a good thing, because the services can cost thousands of dollars per person.

I have been with Lee Hecht Harrison since 1992, and through the years we have helped up to 100,000 people a year find new jobs in the United States alone. That work is done by career consultants in our nationwide network of offices. I lead an LHH design team that creates the programs, processes, books, Websites, and other tools used by our clients in career transition. I also train career coaches and write guidebooks for them.

In 1991, I developed a new process called Job Search Work Teams that has proven very useful to LHH’s clients and is now being used in non-profits as well. I also designed a new way of teaching people how to find jobs—LHH calls it the AIM process—replacing an outdated 50-year-old curriculum that is still used by many in the career transition field.

My title is Senior Vice President, Corporate Director of Program Design, and Service Delivery. Journalists have sometimes called me an LHH executive. That’s not really correct, because I don’t execute or manage much of anything. I design, counsel, advise, consult, write, and teach. And I love doing it.

With LHH and other career services firms, I have authored or co-authored dozens of books on job hunting for use by their private clients. Networking has been a central part of many of these books. But the book you are holding is only the second book I have written that is available to the general public. And it’s the first time I’ve written an entire book on networking—including everything, all in one place.

THE ADVANTAGES OF NETWORKING IN JOB SEARCH

It’s clear to me that networking has great value in job search. I’ve heard that repeatedly from experienced LHH career consultants. And I’ve seen it myself hundreds of times. There are a couple of classic academic studies that demonstrate that the majority of job hunters find jobs by networking. I once also saw a report that said that people who find their jobs through networking are more likely to like their job and stay in it longer than people who find jobs using other methods.

But most of us in job search assistance don’t need a study to tell us that kind of thing. It seems obvious, because people who network have more and better information than those who don’t. So they have more choices and make better decisions.

Along the way to enabling people to find great jobs, networking has other benefits. It helps people collect the information they need to decide what kind of work they want to do. In the same way, it helps them decide where they want to do that work—in what units, departments, or areas, and for what kinds of employers.

It also helps them gather information on potential employers, so they can choose the particular employers best suited for them. It helps them survey what’s going on in their profession and industry and what the going rates of compensation are, so they can better negotiate salary. And it’s the single most common way that people meet the Decision Makers who offer them jobs.

All of this was true when I started in this field in 1977, and it is still true today. The Internet makes it easier to be more effective in networking, but it has not replaced networking. Even if you’re part of that lucky minority that finds jobs through ads, postings, or head-hunters, information you gather through networking will help you make better decisions—and increase your chances of landing a really great job.

When the economy is good, networking is important. In tough times or tough job markets, networking is essential.

THE BEST WAY TO TEACH JOB SEARCH NETWORKING

Early in my career, I had problems teaching the networking part of job-hunting programs. I taught people how to do networking, but they didn’t do it. So I taught it again, more carefully and more thoroughly. But they still didn’t do it.

I didn’t have that problem teaching resume writing, interviewing, salary negotiations, career direction, or any other part of the job-hunting curriculum. In other subjects, I provided the teaching and coaching, and my clients quickly performed very well. But in networking, they just didn’t do what I wished they would. Their efforts were not very effective.

After a while, I realized that there were three reasons why my clients didn’t behave as I hoped they would in their networking. First, they didn’t believe that networking would work—or didn’t believe it was a necessary part of effective search. Second, they had misconceptions about networking that I had failed to address. And third, they just plain weren’t comfortable doing some of the things suggested by the books I was then using.

Through the years, I improved my teaching—and the books. When I began designing programs to teach networking, I went further. I looked for networking approaches people were more comfortable with. I went beyond the job-search books to study how networking is used in other parts of life. I used what I learned to make the process more understandable and more comfortable for job hunters.

Networking also became much better known. More and more people have heard of networking and know that it’s important in job hunting. At the same time, the misconceptions have increased. There’s more misguided advice on networking. More and more people do networking poorly. More and more, people on the receiving end of badly done networking calls are offended.

NETWORKING IN SALES VS. NETWORKING IN JOB SEARCH

When I began thinking about writing this book, I read a number of the most popular books on networking. Most were about succeeding in sales and business, but many also suggested that the same methods could be used in job hunting. I found a great deal of advice that might be useful in sales, but is not useful in job hunting. I also found a great deal of advice I completely disagreed with.

The popular general networking books are often directed to people who want to become master networkers so they can increase their power and influence and make more money in business. I’m sure that some of the advice given will help people do that. But I think that’s completely different from networking to find a job.

And I think that much of what they’re talking about—while it might be very effective in sales—is not actually networking at all.

All of those things led me to write this book especially for people who want to use networking in job hunting. If you also want to build a huge and powerful network, that’s okay with me. (If you’re unemployed, however, I do think it might be smart to find a job first.) But this book is about finding comfortable, honest, and effective ways to use the network you already have to find a great new job.

You’ll find that some of what I have to say is plain old common sense, applied to job hunting. But I hope you’ll also see how a well-planned, systematic approach helps in networking, just as it does in everything you do.

NETWORKING IN A SYSTEMATIC JOB SEARCH

I have long seen job hunting as a work project that needs to be planned and managed like any other work project.

In the job search project, your plan starts with a clear statement of what kind of work you want and a list of employers you’ll pursue. And of course, it includes planning what you’ll say to those particular employers—on your resume and elsewhere.

An effective job-hunting plan nearly always includes the use of networking. And of course, the networking will be more effective if you plan it than if you just muddle through. In the next chapter, I’ll outline a systematic approach to job-search networking that I formulated from watching the most (and least) effective networkers. In following chapters, I’ll explain it all in detail and even suggest what you might say at key points in the process.

This A-to-Z coverage of networking in job search may be more than you need. You may find a job before you do half of it. You may need only a few of the things that I have included in order to find a great new job. But I thought it would be best to give you the whole thing, just in case you needed it.

Of course, you don’t need to learn every bit of it. Or even agree with all of it. Please just take the parts that will help you, then put the book down and get your job search moving.

As I explain things throughout the book,

I’ll Put All the Important Points in a Large Font, Like This…

…so you can easily scan the main topics, skim any material you’re familiar with, and find what you want if you come back to review it later in your job hunt.

One more thing: Before we move to Chapter Two and get started, I want to tell you about Ben and Jessie and the role they play in this book.

BEN AND JESSICA WILLIAMS

A couple of years ago, my neighbor Jessica Williams was job hunting. She and her husband Ben read a draft of my first book, The Unwritten Rules of the Highly Effective Job Search. The three of us discussed it, chapter by chapter.

Jessie used that book in her job search. I was her job hunting coach. She also networked with my wife, Judy. In the end, Jessie not only found a great new job, she also made a plan for the job after that and for her future career.

After Jessie got back to work, three other things happened. Judy and I became friends with Ben and Jessie. The two of them started using the Job Search Work Teams from my first book in their church jobs program. And things started to go south at Ben’s employer.

Ben’s company lost money for six months in a row, something that had never happened before. The company’s Chief Executive Officer was fired. Ben quickly discovered that the new CEO had turned around three previous companies that were losing money. All three of these business successes included unhappy events for employees—major downsizings. In one case, 8,000 people were let go on the same day.

I figured I might be his career coach before long. I often do that for friends and relatives who are job hunting.

So, I wasn’t surprised when Ben stopped by to discuss it with me. The first discussion led to more, and we brought in some other people, including Rachel, a friend of Jessie’s who is a great networker.

I recorded those discussions in my author’s journal. With the permission of all participants, I have included parts of those discussions in this book to provide some additional points of view. They’re at the end of each chapter, and the first one begins on the next page.

ORVILLE’S JOURNAL

Ben’s Job Goes Somewhere Else

They sent my job to Canada, Ben said as he walked into my office. I had heard him chatting with Judy in the living room before he came downstairs to my office. I was offended. Or maybe it was Alaska. I’m not even sure.

You’re out of work? I asked.

Next Friday, he said, sitting down in the rocking chair like he always does. I never thought it would happen to me. I knew about Al the Ax when they made him president, but I figured I’d keep my head down and be okay. Will you be my official job hunting coach?

Sure. We talk about everything else. I don’t know why we can’t talk about your job search. You got severance?

Severance pay? You’re going to charge me? He looked shocked. He almost popped out of the chair.

I laughed. No. Calm down. You can’t afford my outrageous fees. I just wanted to know how soon you’d be feeling financially desperate.

I’m not desperate. I’ve got a great coach. He said, adding, And six months severance. The max.

Six months? That’s great. You could make a profit on this thing. I may have to charge you after all.

Besides, I read your book. Again. I’m an easy client. I know practically everything. And I’ve got a job hunting team at my church. The one Jess and I started two years ago.

Well, if you’ve got all that going for you, what do you need me for?

Insurance. I’m an engineer. I like to build in a large margin for error.

You’re not an engineer. I turned off my computer and walked over to the couch. You’re the manager of an engineering department. There’s a 50- to 100-percent salary difference.

See? You just proved how much I need a coach.

I sat down and picked up a pad and a pen. What kind of work are you going to look for?

The same. Engineering. I mean engineering management.

Good. And what’s your target market? Are there enough…

Wait a minute Ben interrupted. I just came over to say hello and sign up. I’m really glad I made the team, but I’m not ready to start yet. Cut me some slack, coach. I’m out of shape.

I smiled. I’m sorry Ben. I jumped the gun. I set the paper and pen down. You want some tea? I’ve got jasmine green today. When do you want to get started?

Ben laughed. Sometimes you’re like a daggone hound dog, Orville. You think someone’s going on a job hunt and you’re off across the fields tracking one down.

I’ve been called a lot of things, but this was the first time someone called me a hound dog. I sighed. There’s an old Elvis song about that, I thought, You’re nothing but a hound dog, just a… I couldn’t remember the rest.

I’ll pass on the tea, Ben said, interrupting my musings. But I accept the offer of help. I really appreciate it, Orville. And I’m glad I have a coach that’s raring to go. I just need a little time to finish up at work and start planning my search.

Yes, that’s exactly right, and it’s what any good career coach would suggest. You want to test drive my new book? After you get done at work, I mean.

I don’t know. Do I need it? I’ve got your other one pretty much memorized. I’m all about Highly Effective Job Search. What is it?

Job search networking.

Ben’s face lit up. Right! I forgot you were doing one on networking! I was going to sign up with Rachel for networking lessons. You know, Jessie’s friend from the university.

I never met her.

She’s a fund-raising whiz. A gazillion dollar woman. I’m not a great networker. But she sure is. Knows everyone. I can read your book?

I’d love it. I want your opinions on it. Maybe I could get Rachel to take a look, too. Then I’d have…

Two perspectives. Genius and dummy. Ben smiled.

Well, I wasn’t going to say it exactly like that.

Ben, you want some coffee? It was my lovely and thoughtful wife, Judy, in the doorway.

No, Ben said, Thanks. I’ve done my freeloading for the day. I got a free book and a career coach. I’m heading out. Thanks, Orville.

Ben?

Yeah?

So you’ll get started on a plan for your job search?

Yes, coach, he replied. Then to Judy, He’s really tough, isn’t he?

Yes, she replied, He pushes hard. He’s always going for the big win.

Chapter Two

Systematic Job-Search Networking

In job-search networking, the one most important thing is to make everyone you talk to comfortable.

Why? If they’re not comfortable, nothing will happen. At least nothing useful. If they’re not comfortable, you’re not comfortable. Then what do you have? An awkward conversation everyone wants to end as quickly as possible.

It doesn’t go anywhere.

Some job hunters accidentally make their networking partners uncomfortable by doing things they themselves don’t approve of. Unemployed job hunters sometimes start feeling a little desperate. Then they get some networking advice they don’t really like, but they believe they have to do it anyway. If they act on it without thinking, it can lead to trouble.

Now and then, you may have to push the limits of your own comfort zone a bit, but that’s completely different from behaving in ways you know to be objectionable. It’s that objectionable stuff—such as, I’m not really job hunting; I just need 30 minutes of your time.—that really makes everyone uncomfortable.

There are many reasons why people sometimes aren’t comfortable being on the receiving end of a networking call with a job hunter. We’ll be taking a look at the most common ones. And I’ll suggest some language you can use to head off problems and move the conversation in a useful direction. My goal is to help you to find effective networking approaches that are comfortable for you—and everyone else.

What I want you to know right now is that the comfort of your networking partners is very much under your control. So is the success of your whole networking effort.

There are many things in job hunting that you cannot control. You can’t make anyone interview you. You can and should work to influence their decision of who to hire, but you can’t control it. You can’t stop them from hiring their cousin instead of you. And you can’t control the condition of the job markets. Whether you like it or not, hiring will happen faster in some job markets and slower in others.

But here’s the good news: You can control networking. This is the part of job hunting where you’re completely in charge.

You can make the right choices about who to talk to and when to talk to them. You can make your networking partners comfortable. You can collect important information, including inside information that gives you an edge. And you can get your name—and yourself—in front of the right Decision Makers in the right way: with integrity.

When you do those things effectively and persistently, you will find a good new job. Even if you don’t do them really well, it will work—provided only that you stay with it. As you’ll see, it’s a numbers game. No matter how strong a candidate you are, you will probably need to have a lot of conversations.

You may sometimes feel discouraged. But remember, you only need one good job offer. And networking is the way most people get that one good offer. Sometimes they even get two or three good offers.

Not all of your networking conversations will succeed

Reviews for Highly Effective Networking

[mountholyoke · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

It introduce different kinds of networking and networking methods. It is a very detail oriented job search strategy guide book.